In Korea, a standard of Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) in North America, which is an 8-VSB system, was adopted as a terrestrial digital broadcast system in November 1997. Subsequently, related core technology has been developed, field tests have been carried out, and test broadcasting has been performed. Since 2001, existing analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting have been simultaneously performed. In 2012, however, switch to digital broadcasting will have been completed.
ATSC is an America committee developing a digital television broadcasting standard or a standard of the committee. The standard of ATSC has been used as a national standard in America, Canada, Mexico, and Korea. In addition, the standard of ATSC will be adopted in other countries, including several nations in South America. In addition to ATSC, DVB, which has been developed in Europe, and ISDB of Japan are used as the standard of the digital broadcasting.
According to an ATSC digital broadcasting standard that is capable of transmitting high-quality video, audio, and auxiliary data, data are transmitted at a data transmission rate of 19.39 Mbps for a terrestrial broadcast channel of 6 MHz and data are transmitted at a data transmission rate of 38 Mbps for a cable TV channel. An ISO/IEC 13818-2 MPEG-2 video standard is used as a video compression technology used in the ATSC system. MPEG-2 MP@HL, i.e. Main Profile and High Level, is used as a compression format. Video formats and limitations related thereto are defined.
Hereinafter, a description will be given of transmission modes which may be used when a new broadcast, such as a 3D stereoscopic broadcast, ultra high definition (UHD) TV broadcast, or multi-view broadcast, is provided while maintaining compatibility with existing broadcast channels in a MPEG-2 TS format for broadcasting used for digital TV transmission and reception. Hereinafter, the 3D stereoscopic broadcast, UHD TV broadcast, and multi-view broadcast will be referred to as a composite image broadcast. Transmission modes which may be used in the MPEG-2 TS format are divided into a frame-compatible mode and a service-compatible mode. In a case in which two transmission modes are used in a digital broadcast, it is necessary for a receiving end to recognize a transmission mode used by a transmission end.